St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-02-17
HOW SHE MANAGED HIM.

off it wasn't for Bob Whitney" said
the chairman of the school committee,
looking at the minister.
"Yes,- sighed the minister, looking
in his turn at the doctor.
"What is it about Bob Whitney ~
asked Miss Willis.
ssHe is the worst boy in school he
has run wild all his life, and the teach
ers all have trouble with him." replied
the chairman.
"There isn't any one that can man.
age him." added the minister, while
the rest of the committee nodded as
sent.
Miss Willis colOred little. 1t seem :
ed so presuming for her, young and
Inexperienced as she was, to speak of
succeeding where all had failed, but
she did want the Scrub Hollow school
so badly.
"Perhaps could manage him." she
said in her most winning way 81 Will
do my best if you will only give me a
chance"
The chairman grew red in the face,
and fidgeted about uneaslly In his
chair he had really never found it so
difficult matter, in all his experience,
to refuse an applicant, and he had
D6eD ClldlEItldU dlIlOSb as iOhS 90 Oh
"oldest inhabitant" could remember.
He looked at the minister, hoping
that he would come to the rescue, but
the minister was looking at the doctor,
and the doctor was intently surveying
a map of the world on the opposite
wall.
The chairman cleared his throat.
'T-really dislike, but"
"Why don't you try herq" spoke up
Mr.. Peters. "YOu say all have failed,
SO she can't do any worse, and it's my
opinion she will do better, for BOb's a
different boy from what | take him to
be if he can resist her pretty face and
ways"
"Thank you," said Miss Willis,
laughing and cOloTing so prettily that
the chairman wished himself a boy.
So it came to pass that Miss Willis
was duly installed as teacher in the
Scrub Hollow district.
81 don't suppose she'll stay two
weeks" said the chairman to the min
lister as they walked home.
The minister thought very likely
not.
"YOu needn't be so dreadful afraid
of Bob" said Mr.. Peters cOnfidentially
to Miss Willis, as he took her to her
boarding place.
ale isn't such a terrible boy, only
he is full and running over with mis-
chief his mothers a weak, nervous
sort of woman, and has let him run
wild. He's got good heart, though,
and strong will, if it can only be
turned in the right direction. We
shall all be proud of him yet, believe,
just as much as | do that my name is
Peters,
Nevertheless, Miss Willis did feel a
little troubled in spirit as she sat at
her desk Monday morning awaiting
the coming of her flock. She knew
Bob the minute he crossed the thresh-
old, and instantly decided what to do.
"GOOd morning." she said, rising
and holding out her hand. "YOu are
Robert Whitney, | think"
Bob hesitated a minute he could
not remember that he was ever called
Robert before in his life. He rather
liked it, thought sounded more re-
spectacle, he thought, us he passed TO
his seat.
Perhaps the respectable" feeling
was the cause of his resolution not to
make any trouble. Something at any
rate did make him think it would be
lawfully mean to trouble the new
teacher"
Chow did you get along 2" asked Mr..
Peters, coming out as Miss Willis pass
ed his store on her way home at night.
"First rate. / could not ask for
better boy" was the reply.
EXACTLY" said Mr.. Peters, rubbing
his hands gleefully as he went back
behind his counter.
GECha1n him If WON'T ha all
clear sailing, though, that would not
be nature, but she'll manage him, and
we shall yet be proud of him, us sure
as my name is Peters,"
"There's no trouble yet, is there ~
asked the minister of the chairman, as
they met at the end of the week.
"NO," was the reply.
"Perhaps then she is going to man.
age him, as Peters said," remarked the
minister hopefully.
"I hope so" said the chairman, but
his tone was not very encouraging, he
had had so much trouble with that
school on account of Bob.
Sure enough, before the next week
was over there were not only rumOrs
of wars, but actual rebellion.
1t was a perfect day, there had been
a hard frost the night before. Bob
wanted to go chestnutting, he wanted
to go fishing, he wanted, oh, he want
ed to be anywhere but cOOped up in Il
little school house studying long divi-
sion and the parts of speech.
To do him Justice, he did try at first
to fix his thoughts on his books, but
having heretofore let them roam wher
ever they pleased, he found it any
thing but an easy task. Presently he
gave it up, and tried to pass away the
time amusing himself with those about
him.
He put his foot out so that little
Mamie Atwood would trip as she pass
ed by his seat from her class he kept
the history class laughing over the IL
Illustrations of their lessons he drew on
his slate and exhibited when Miss
Willis was not looking; he threw a
paper ball directly into Tommy Jones'
mouth, in fact, he did everything that
a fun loving, mischievOus boy could
possibly think of doing.
Miss Willis wondered YEARLY If four
o'clock would never come, and wished
she could think of something to divert
Bob's mind. She did not wonder the
chairman and minister sighed when
they spoke of Bob, and she came to
the conclusion that Mr.. Peters must be
a little out of his mind to think that
she or anyone else could manage such
a boy. Finally her patience gave out
completely.
Robert" she said sharply, "yOu
may take yOnr spelling book and sit in
the corner by yourself. You can't go
home until the lesson is recited per-
-